The ongoing activities of livelihood support counselors following nuclear disaster under the COVID-19 restrictions: A preliminary survey

•Counselors coped with evacuees’ mental health issues following the Fukushima nuclear accident.•Counselors continued to support evacuees even during the COVID-19 restrictions.•Counselors provided telephonic consultations as an infection-prevention measure.•Some counselors felt uneasy about telephonic instead of in-person consultation.•Telephonic consultation had more advantages, such as longer sessions and attentive listening.